Ah, but is a MAC compatible with 98% of the hardware out in the world today?
I think not...hell, it took them YEARS just to start using non-proprietary
equipment in their friggin machines...
The issue, in Windows compatibility, is that CUSTOMERS demanded something
that would work with THEIR hardware...and since there's thousands of pieces
of DIFFERENT hardware that all generally work under Windows, that, in and of
itself, if a feat of engineering...and don't ANYONE try and tell me that
Linux can work with the same amount of hardware as Windows does....because
you know as well as I do that that's bullshit...
Jason
-----Original Message-----
From: Jeffrey J. Visgaitis [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Tuesday, May 09, 2000 10:51 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: [Open_Gaming] single most valuable equity asset?
> And yet Microsoft has (and has never had) *any* problem with someone
writing
> "Works with Microsoft Windows" on the outside of their box. They in fact
> have two tiers of this - those who just wrote content and put it out can
say
> "Runs on Microsoft Windows" - and those who pay the License Fee and go
> through an approval process can use something like "Microsoft Certified"
(I
> am not clear on the exact details). To say that the value of their
"Brand"
> was somehow harmed by this practice seems more than a little paradoxical.
All right, I've sat back and watched this for quite some time and I
figure its about time for me to add in my two coppers. Are there
problems with software houses releasing stuff for Windows? On the
outside its not very visible, bu how many different versions of programs
are required and how many patches and upgrades are needed to make things
work and keep everything nice and smooth? The Windows market is very
fragmented (at best). How many times have you came home with that shiny
new game, installed it and, "damn it doesn't work" or "well, the
graphics are awesome, but I can't get any sound." I'd say most (if not
all of you) have had that experience at least a couple times. Just last
week I tried to get 11th Hour to work on a Pentium III and nothing! And
no I'm not a stupid computer user, it's my major in college. From what I
can tell, Wizards wants to avoid a fragmented market and assure its
customers that if it has the D&D Logo on it tat it WILL work with D&D.
Flawlessly and effortlessly. Where is the harm in that?
Now lets look at another market: Apple. Yeah, I can hear your groans
already, but I had to read all of the other messages so just hear me
out. Of all the times I've bought software or games and brought them
home for my MAc they've always worked flawlessly. I can cite one time I
did have a problem, but hey, nothing is perfect and after a half hour on
the phone with a rep things were running fine. My experiences like this
go back a good eight years or so. No, I'm not the Mac Artist junky who
never uses a PC. A do web design as well, and I have a lot of experience
with both platforms and use them both daily. So when it came time for me
to buy the home computer I went with what worked all the time. Are there
gems to be discovered amongst the twisted corridors of the Windows
market? I'd be an absolute idiot to tell you otherwise, but for me that
requires work in making sure I get everything necessary to make it work
with my system.
Now, on to D&D, this applies in the same respect. If it has the D&D logo
on it, it will be 100% compatible with little or no effort on my part.
If I want to search for that really cool module or use rules from
someone else's setting that's great, but I least I know I'm at a risk in
buying it because it doesn't have the nice D&D logo on it, but hey it
does say the D&D Player's Handbook is required . . . hmmm . . . maybe
I'll spend the $15 and see what it's about. Yes, some people may not get
exposure for their products because it doesn't carry the "Official"
logo, but you get the next best thing - compatible with D20. And really
that's all that it is. Will there be products that are great and should
be deserving of the D&D logo? Of course. Will there be products that
don't offer much and shouldn't see the light of day? Again yes. Does
WoTC want to invest in making people "Officially" licensed with a gamble
that is the D20 system? At this time no, but it may happen in the
future. So to make a long story short, you can't use the logo, they
don't want you to use the logo, and they are justified in doing it. Will
this change in the future? I can almost guarantee it (if the OGF is as
successful as I think it'll be), but for now wait till the masses are
educated and know what D20 is and what the D20 logo is and stands for.
This shouldn't take all that long and the effects of not being able to
use the Official Logo will be gone in only a few short months. Problem
solved. :-)
--
Jeff Visgaitis
Art Director
Roc Games
www.roc-games.com
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For more information, please link to www.opengamingfoundation.org
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For more information, please link to www.opengamingfoundation.org
